The present invention relates to the field of thermal cycling devices, their uses and methods based thereon. The present invention in particular relates to a thermal cycling device comprising: a sample location; a first heating means, wherein said first heating means is configured to bring a sample at said sample location to at least about a first temperature; advantageously said first heating means is a contact heating means; a second heating means, wherein said second heating means is configured to bring said sample to a second temperature by directing electromagnetic radiation to the first light pipe section end and the light pipe section is configured to direct said electromagnetic radiation through its second end to the sample location. According to the present invention a light pipe (or a light pipe section) is used to homogenize spatial intensity distribution of heating electromagnetic radiation and to illuminate said sample at said sample location with light during thermal cycling. The present invention also relates to uses of the thermal cycler and light pipe of the present invention and to an ultra-fast PCR amplification methods based thereon. The invention also relates to a thermal cycling device comprising: a) a sample location (4); b) a first light pipe section at least operable to collect electromagnetic radiation; c) a second light pipe section at least operable to collect fluorescent excitation and transmit fluorescence emission light; d) a third light pipe section at least operable to illuminate the sample location (4) with electromagnetic radiation and fluorescent excitation and to transmit fluorescent emission light to the second light pipe section; e) an optical filter configured to reflect visible light and transmit electromagnetic radiation; wherein each light pipe section is configured to homogenize spatial intensity distribution of light and electromagnetic radiation by the means of reflection; its uses and methods based thereon.